This invention relates primarily to display structures, and more particularly, to parts of such structures which function as the main, upright display pole thereof.
The display techology has become increasingly important during the past couple of decades with the advent of commercial expositions, the presentation of goods at the point of sale on a display stand, to satisfy long-standing needs with respect to displays, such as in-store merchandise displays, for use as a support base for any structure, all with an attempt to satisfy the modern shipping technology involving the requirement to deliver goods unassembled for purposes of recipient assembly at the intended site of the display. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,769, issued Feb. 4, 1975 (filed Dec. 4, 1972), Norman H. Goddard, inventor, shows a construction for connecting together tubular members to be used as garment racks. Goddard used web-slot connections to hold the members together. Not only is the connecting construction different from the present invention, but also the stated function of Goddard is to provide for factory rather than user assembly. In the same manner, U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,813, issued Nov. 25, 1975 (filed Nov. 8, 1974), Alfonse Cimino, inventor, shows a display rack for merchandise having an upstanding post for rotatably mounting a cage for display purposes. The interlocking structure of the upstanding support post is not only different than that proposed by the present invention, but also significantly more complex. Accordingly, the prior art, as represented by such patents and others, does not anticipate the present invention.
Still further, many of the other piror art structures can be represented, particularly as they apply to rotating displays, as including a cotter pin inserted into the upstanding pole for supporting a washer, with a bearing assembly placed over the washer. The upstanding pole in such structures is usually assembled by mating a reduced diameter segment end into a full diameter segment end in various segments of the upstanding pole. In all of this, the structure and assembly requirements for the user are more complex than they are required to.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provde a stable display construction, which is easily broken down into segments for shipping convenience.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a display construction, which is convenient to use with rotating displays, as well as presenting ease of assembly in shipment.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a display construction having a main, upright display pole meeting the previously recited objectives, and, additionally, with the capability for rigid connection of various segments thereof, and yet ease of assembly, dissassembly and for presenting a strong final display product able to perform its display functions in a convenient manner and for use with many different types of displays.
These and other objects of the present invention are satisfied by a main, upright display pole for use in a convenient base structure and for supporting either a rotating display for in-store merchandise, or for supporting any one of a variety of displays. The main, upright display pole includes a plurality of segments each having the same inside diameter and, for over two such segments, a connecting intergral insert having upwardly and downwardly extending elements from a central flange, which is integral with such elements. The insert is formed of nylon or another synthetic material, for mating with the segments of the upright pole usually made of metal or plastic, thereby to present an ease of assembly and disassembly. The outside diameters of the upwardly and downwardly extending elements are coextensive with the inside diameters of the segments. The flange at the approximate center of the insert is either coextensive in outside diameter with the outside diameter of the segments or extending significantly beyond such segment outside diameters in order to support a rotating or other display. Actually, the extent of the flange can be supplied in both forms, so that the user therefo can insert the greater extending flange insert at a height on the main display pole convenient to his or her needs. Also, any circular cross-sectional element of the present invention can just as conveniently be made square in cross-section with the objectives, purposes, functions and construction of the assembly accomplished.